Knowledge enhancement Program by:

Date : 03.09.19
 Agenda….

a) What Concrete NDT

b) Various NDT Method
c) Various NDT M/c
d) Limitation
e) Challenges
d) Application
What is NDT?

When we carry out Test without

deforming or destruction of the Test
Sample, testing process is known as
Non destructive Testing…..
What is the difference between NDT and
conventional Testing?

PierTest_Far.wmv
What are the various NDT Method
or Technique…..
 Ultrasonic
 X-Ray/Radioactive Sources
 Chemical
 Electro Magnetic Wave
 Sound Wave
 Impulse
 Current
 Magnetic
 VARIOUS NDT INSTRUMENTS USED FOR
CONCRETE TESTING

• Schmidt / Rebound Hammer

• Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity
• Cover-meter
• Half Cell Potential
• Concrete Resistivity
• Carbonation Depth
 Various Techniques of NDT
• Visual inspection – most important
* PHYSICAL INSPECTION :
• Rebound Hammer
• Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity
• Cover-meter
• Structure Scan
* CHEMICAL INSPECTION :
• Half cell Potential
• Concrete Resistivity
• Carbonation Depth
Visual inspection
TOOLS REQUIRED FOR VISUAL INSPECTION :

• Measuring tape, markers

• Thermometer, Anemometer
Visual inspection
TOOLS REQUIRED FOR VISUAL INSPECTION :

• Binocular, telescope, endoscope etc.

Visual inspection
TOOLS REQUIRED FOR VISUAL INSPECTION :

• Crack width measurement systems

• Magnifying glass

• Camera with zoom, micro lens, filters etc.

• Complete set of drawings – as built

Crack due to Settlement of concrete
Exposed aggregates
Settlement of wooden support work
Rusting of Bar due to chemical action
Effect of fire on concrete
Cracks due to settlement of central
column
Cracks due to bending and shearing
Cracking of beams and columns
due to earthquake
Crack due to Insufficient
reinforcement
Sinking of concrete
Rusting of reinforcement
Heating and freezing cycles
Effect of atmospheric conditions
Non Uniformity of Ad-mixtures
REBOUND HAMMER
• MOST COMMON NDT METHOD
• DEVELOPED IN 1948
• MEASURES REBOUND HARDNESS OF
CONCRETE
• NO THEORETICAL RELATIONSHIP
AVAILABLE FOR ASSESSMENT OF
STRENGTH
• EMPIRICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
REBOUND HARDNESS AND STRENGTH
DEVELOPED
REBOUND HAMMER GUIDELINES

• CONDUCT ON SMOOTH AND UNIFORM

FACE
• AVOID ROUGH SPOTS, HONEY COMBS
ETC.
• AVOID TROWELLED SURFACES
• THIN SECTIONS (< 100 mm) SHOULD BE
BACKED UP TO AVOID DEFLECTIONS
• TAKE ATLEAST 3 REBOUND READINGS IN
ANY ONE TEST
REBOUND HAMMER - GUIDELINES

• CALCULATE THE MEAN

• COMPARE DEVIATION OF READINGS FROM
THE MEAN
• TEST IS CONSIDERED RELIABLE IF THE
DEVIATION OF TEN READINGS IS NOT MORE
THAN THE FOLLOWING:
REBOUND VALUE 15 30 45
DEVIATION 2.5 3 3.5
REBOUND HAMMER - GUIDELINES

• USE BEST 3 READINGS FOR

CALCULATING THE MEAN
• DETERMINE COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH BY REFERRING TO
REBOUND NUMBER Vs STRENGTH
CHARTS AGAINST THE MEAN VALUE
• BEST ACCURACY ACHIEVEABLE IS
WITHIN + 10 to 15%
FACTORS AFFECTING REBOUND VALUE
• >TYPE OF AGGREGATES
 >DEGREE OF COMPACTION
• >AGE OF CONCRETE
 >DRYNESS/WETNESS OF THE SURFACE
 >RIGIDITY OF THE STRUCTURE
 >SURFACE FINISH OF CONCRETE- MOULDED/
TROWELED
 >MAINTENANCE OF REBOUND HAMMER
 >INCLINATION/ANGLE OF THE REBOUND HAMMER
 >TYPE OF CEMENT
 > LEVEL OF CARBONATION
 > COVER TICKNESS
VARIOUS TYPES OF REBOUND
HAMMER :
1. NORMAL/ANALOG TYPE.
(N TYPE, NR TYPE)
1. DIGITAL HAMMER.
( STN TYPE, PCN TYPE)
CALIBRATION OF HAMMER:

• METHODOLOGY :
Use Calibrated ANVIL for Hammer
Calibration.
CALIBRATION ANVIL:

• Picture needs to add

PREVENTIVE MAINTAINANCE

1. CARE FULLY HANDLE THE HAMMER TRIP.

2. CLEAN THE HAMMER.
3. PREVENT FROM MIS HANDLING.
4. CALIBRATE THE HAMMER ON REGULAR
INTERVELLS.
 Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity
(UPV) Testing of Concrete
 TRADE NAME PUNDIT ??

• PORTABLE ULTRA –SONIC NON

DESTRUCTIVE INDICATING
TESTER
PUNDIT LAB ( IS-13311-1992 – Part –I)
 Applications
• The homogeneity of the concrete

• Consistency of the Concrete

• The presence of voids, cracks or other imperfections

• Changes in the concrete which may occur with time (i.e.

due to the cement hydration) or through the action of fire,
frost or chemical attack,

• The quality of the concrete in relation to specified

standard requirements, such as its strength.

• This can be obtained by calibrating against specimens of

known strength such as cylinders, cores or cubes.
 Pulse Velocity vs Quality
Concrete Quality Table:
Accuracy
• It is desirable to measure pulse velocity to
within an accuracy of ±2% which allows a
tolerance in the separate measurements
of path length and transit time of only a
little more than ±1%.
Where do you place Transmitter &
Receiver
 COVER METER
COVER IS A VERY IMPORTANT PARAMETER
DICTATING DURABILITY OF CONCRETE

CONVENTIONALLY COVER IS CHECKED PRIOR

TO CONCRETING

POST CONCRETING ASSESSMENT OF COVER

IS POSSIBLE THROUGH COVER METERS
Effect of steel reinforcement
 COVER METER

• BASED ON MAGNETIC PRINCIPLE

• RANGE OF MEASUREMENT POSSIBLE IS 0-
75 mm or MORE
• ACCURACY WITHIN 6 mm
• NOT VERY EFFECTIVE IN HEAVILY
REINFORCED MEMBERS OR MEMBERS
WITH SPIRAL REINFORCEMENT
• SIZE OF THE REINFORCEMENT BAR IS
REQUIRED TO BE KNOWN FOR ACCURATE
ASSESSMENT OF COVER
REBAR DETECTION SYSTEM

• Location and orientation of reinforcement

bar.
• Measuring concrete cover depth.
• Bar diameter determination.
• Can be operated on both metric and
imperial units.
APPLICATION OF COVER METER

• REHABILITATION PLANNING
• TO IMPROVE QUALITY CONTROL DURING
CONSTRUCTION
• IDENTIFICATION OF LOCATION OF
REINFORCEMENT BAR WITH THE FOLLOWING
APPLICATIONS
– HELPS IN AVOIDING DRILLING INTO THE
REINFORCEMENT
– TO AVOID REINFORCEMENT IN PULSE
VELOCITY MEASUREMENTS
CHEMICAL INSPECTION
Half Cell Corrosion Potential
 APPLICATION :

• TO DETERMINE THE REBAR

COROSION
Half Cell Circuit
Risk of Corrosion against potential
difference readings

Potential difference Chance of re-bar

levels (mv) being corroded
• less than –500 visible evidence of
corrosion
• 350 to -500 95%
• 200 to -350 50%
• More than -200 5%
Resistivity Measurements
 Why resistivity
• Half cell potential gives the risk of
corrosion and not the rate
• Resistivity gives an indication of rate
• Alternative method becoming popular is
linear polarization resistance
Resistivity Meter
Wenner system of measurements
 Guide for the interpretation

Resistivity (ohm cm) Likely Corrosion Rate

Less than 5,000 Very high

5,000 – 10,000 High
10,000 – 20,000 Low / Moderate
Greater than 20,000 Negligible
 CARBONATION DEPTH

• CARBONATION IS CHEMICAL REACTION BETWEEN Ca

(OH)2 AND CO2 OF THE ATMOSPHERE
• CARBONATION DESTROYS PASSIVE PROTECTION
PROVIDED BY CONCRETE TO THE RE-INFORCEMENT
• CARBONATION PROCEEDS FROM THE SURFACE INTO
THE CONCRETE
• WHEN DEPTH OF CARBONATION EQUALS CONCRETE
COVER REINFORCEMENT CORROSION IS IMMINENT
 CARBONATION DEPTH
• METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
– DRILL INTO CONCRETE
– SPRAY PHENOLPHTHALEIN SOLUTION
– UNCARBONATED CONCRETE WILL SHOW BRIGTH
PINK STAIN
– CARBONATED CONCRETE WILL NOT CHANGE
COLOUR
– WITH THE ABOVE VISUAL INDICATION DEPTH OF
CARBONATION CAN BE EASILY MEASURED
LIMITATIONS OF NDT
• ALL NDT METHODS ARE IN-DIRECT
• CORELATION BETWEEN MEASURED PARAMETER
AND CONCRETE STRENGTH IS NEVER EXACT.
• EFFECTIVENESS OF NDT DEPENS ON
HETEROGENEITY OF THE MATERIAL
• RESULTS ARE DEPENDENT ON TOO MANY
PARAMETERS
• NORMALLY ACHIEVEABLE LEVEL OF ACCURACY IS
+ 10 to 15%
• INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS REQUIRE STRONG
JUDGEMENT
Advance NDT
Structure Scan for Concrete
Evaluation
Rapid Chloride Penetration Test
Non Nuclear Gauge for Moisture and
Compaction for soil
Light Weight Deflectometer
 Challenges

NDT Instruments are costly…….

Very Limited Man Power is available in this
field…….
Needs Training…..
Data Interpretation is not straight
forward….
Application:
Inspection of Fire affected Building
Inspection of earth Quake affected structure
Health Check –up of Bridge
Health Check-up of Fly Over
Inspection of Factory Building
Inspection of Airport
Inspection of Dam
Inspection Barrage
Rehabilitation of Building
Re- strengthen of Structure
Concrete base of Electrical/Mobile Tower
THANK YOU